Hollywood Protests Rally as WBD Shareholders Prepare to Vote on Paramount Merger

As Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders prepare to vote on Paramount’s cash deal to buy WBD for $31 per share, protests and warnings from industry groups—including the WGA West—argue the merger would reduce competition, threaten writers’ jobs, and concentrate media power. The virtual meeting is set for 10 am ET, but final approval still depends on antitrust clearances from the DOJ, the EU, and the UK. Paramount’s David Ellison touts production growth and cost cuts, while critics call for blocking the deal to preserve diversity and competition in the industry.